


Pottery Pining

by orphan_account



Category: Dear Evan Hansen - Pasek & Paul/Levenson
Genre: Bad Pick-Up Lines, Fluff, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-23
Updated: 2017-07-23
Packaged: 2018-12-05 17:47:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11583105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Jared keeps coming into Evan's work place just to tell him bad puns/pick-up lines and leaving before the poor anxious teen can fully understand them.





	Pottery Pining

Working at Pottery Barn had its perks. Evan made decent money, had good hours, and despite his anxiety he still tried his best to be a good employee while helping out customers. His coworkers were also nice, and then there was the friend’s and family discount he had to offer. Which is why he wasn’t surprised to see Jared during his shift. He had texted Evan wanting to know his hours, so it was only reasonable he wanted to go shopping while getting a discount.    
  
Though seeing his friend carelessly holding an expensive vase left Evan feeling nervous. Cautiously, he approached Jared as if not to scare him and cause the vase to break.    
  
“Hey Jared, can you um, please put down the vase-”   
  
“Because it’s too beautiful to handle?” Jared said unfazed, but was moving to set it back down anyway.   
  
“Yes and you could bre-”    
  
“Like you.”    
  
“-ak it.. Huh?” What was  _ that  _ about? If Evan was mistaken that sounded like a pick-up line to him. No, Jared wouldn’t actually flirt with him. Why would he? He finally managed to hear Jared mutter the words that they’re friends after high school, so him flirting with him seemed out of the question.    
  
“Oh um.. Thank you?” Evan rubbed the back of his neck unable to think of anything else to say. He wanted to ask Jared so many things right now, but if he interpreted his words wrong then who knows what box he’d be opening.    
  
However, the response seemed to not please Jared. The other’s grin got replaced with a frown.    
  
“I’m sorry- it was really sweet of you, I didn’t expect it is all-”    
  
“No, forget it. It’s nothing. It’s getting late now anyway, I have to get home. See you, Evan. I guess.”    
  
It was barely five, but Evan wasn’t going to comment on that. For the rest of his work day he felt crummy.   


-

The following day Evan had another shift, and to say he was tired was an understatement. Staying up all night stressing over how to apologize to your friend is another way to put it. Thankfully he was greeted by the sight of Jared striding through the entrance, and making his way right over to him.    
  
_ ‘Okay, you rehearsed this all night. Just tell him you’re sorry and it was very nice of him to compliment you. But he doesn’t seem mad- actually what is he doing? Is he actually shopping for once? Maybe he doesn’t want to talk to me and just needed to get something or-’ _   
  
“Excuse me  _ sir _ , I don't see a price tag on this.” Stuck in his internal panic, Evan didn’t see Jared approach him with a decorative throw pillow that was shoved in his hands. Why Jared would buy  _ that  _ of all things was one of life's mysteries. Unless it was for his mom. 

“Oh, huh. It doesn't, I can go check-” 

“I don't see one on you either so I guess that makes you priceless.” Jared grinned and sent Evan a wink. He could feel a blush coming on his face, and Jared muttered having some place to go as Evan stood there trying to process the sentence.    
  
At least Jared wasn’t mad at him.   
  
-  
  
This continued on during the days Evan had to work. Jared would come by, tell something that Evan was almost completely sure sounded like a pick up line, but not wanting to assume that he took them lightly. Speaking of light.    
  
“Evan, look at these!” Jared exclaimed, while gesturing to rows of lamps. It wasn't anything too exciting. Just a variety of different lamps. But if it made Jared happy he wasn’t going to judge.

“They um, they're nice. Is there a specific one I could help you with..?”

“I don't need one since you're the light of my life anyway.” Evan had to take a double take on that.    
  
“Y-you think I’m bright?” He wanted to ask if it had any other meaning, but words failed him on that.    
  
“.... Yes. You always did get good grades.” Jared said flatly before leaving.    
  
That was true though, so Evan didn’t seem too bothered by the way he said it.  
  
-   
  
“Why are there fake fishing poles for sale here?” Jared had asked for no particular reason that day. Truthfully, Evan wasn't sure either. 

“For decorations, I suppose.” Some people just really enjoyed fishing.

“People actually buy these?” Jared asked laughing to himself.

“Y-yeah.” 

“You're kind of like these.” Jared’s sudden serious tone took Evan off guard. 

“W-what? How?” 

“You've got me hooked.” 

“Hooked on what..? T-that’s not a good saying. What if um, you get in trouble and then your parents think you’re smoking drugs-”    
  
“You never cease to amaze me, Hansen.”    


-   
  
As Evan was checking to make sure items were in order he couldn't help noticing Jared giving him an innocent smile from the wall. That was never good.    
  
_ ‘Maybe he didn’t do anything today. I shouldn’t assume, that’s not nice. Then again I’ve known him for years.. No, come on now.’ _

There were old fashioned looking letters setting on the shelves and they all seemed to be in order until he spotted a u setting with the i’s. He sighed knowing exactly who did this and shot Jared a look. After he put the u where it belonged, he turned to Jared with arms crossed. 

“Sorry.” He wasn't. “I just thought u and I looked good together.” 

Evan opened his mouth to speak, but it took him a moment to comprehend the implication of that. That definitely was a pick-up line if he ever heard one so innocently. While trying to think of how to respond Jared was already striding out of the store with his hands in his pockets.    
  
Evan decided not to bring it up the next time he saw Jared.   
  
-   


“These paintings are pretty crappy.” Jared said casually, holding up a painting of a barn and looking mildly disturbed by it.

“I think they're nice.” Evan frowned. Well, he mostly liked the scenery ones. Who was he kidding, he just loved the nature ones in general.

“I dunno Evan, you're the real piece of work. Maybe that's why I'm so drawn to you.” Jared grinned lazily at Evan.  
  
“Is that.. Are you insulting me with a compliment?” Real piece of work could go either way. Evan wasn’t really sure if he was insulting him or complimenting him, so he asked anyway.    
  
The only thing close to a response he got from Jared was an eye roll. He left without saying anything, but it was better than him making up an excuse.   
  
-   
  
“Evan, catch.” It was the only warning he got before an artificial apple was thrown his way. He let out a sigh of relief when he finally got a good grip on the item. 

“Jared why did you- why would you even-” 

“You're the apple of my eye.” That time Evan swore he saw Jared blushing. His face was a good kind of red- not the kind got when he was angry.  
  
“I am..?”

“Speaking of food, it’s almost dinner time. Catch you around, fineapple.” Jared casually ignored his question and was off.  
  
Fine was the last thing Evan felt. Unless you considered standing in the middle of work with a red face fine, then he would be.

-

Throughout the next couple of months Evan noticed a pattern in Jared’s.. Remarks. They would go from sweet to aggressive. One minute Jared was giving him an unreadable expression followed by a smile, and then the next day he’d be shoving something into his hands or rearranging items that followed up by a one liner. It only confused Evan even more.   
  
At one point Evan did throw around the idea that maybe Jared had a crush on him, but that _never_ happened to him. Everyone tended to be friendly towards him rather than show a romantic interest.   
  
It was a slow evening when Jared came up to him with a globe and announced, “You’re my whole world.”   
  
Evan blinked, feeling speechless and sweaty, carefully setting the globe on a nearby shelf. He turned to Jared to thank him, but was abruptly pulled down for a sudden kiss. If anything, the whole kiss probably felt awkward on Jared’s part as Evan remained frozen.   
  
Jared pull away and made a noise of frustration. He was about to storm out of the store, but Evan came to his sense long enough to grab Jared’s wrist. He could let the lines slide by, but kissing him like that was something they _had_ to talk out.  
  
“W-what was that about? I um, I didn’t. I didn’t know you liked me that way. I mean I did! Sort of. I thought you did, but maybe you were just being friendly with me- I didn’t completely know, I’m sorry.” Evan let go of Jared’s wrist and felt relieved when the other didn’t seem like he was going to rush off again.  
  
“I’ve been dropping hints for the past two months, Evan.” Jared laughed half heartedly.  
  
“Why didn’t you, you know just ask me..?” That was absolutely easier said than done.  
  
“It’s hard to express yourself when you’re unsure your childhood friend likes you back since said friend spent most of highschool lusting over Zoe Murphy.” Jared sighed.  
  
“I-I wouldn’t call it that. I was just crushing on her is all.”   
  
“Well guess who else is ‘crushing’?”   
  
Oh.   
  
_Oh._ There was the answer he waited months for.  
  
“W-well if you want, I wouldn’t mind giving it a try.” Jared perked up. “I didn’t want to think you were into me and then if I did I would just make things messy and then I’d ruin our friendship and make things weird and-” A nudge to the side was enough to stop his rambling. “Sorry.” Evan smiled sheepishly when Jared gave him a small smile.  
  
“Tough luck I _am_ into you and you’ll have to live with it.”  
  
“Sounds more like good luck, than tough.” Evan hesitated before he asked, “C-can you hold something for me?”   
  
“Sure what- … _Oh my_ _God_. You don't have to ask to hold my hand. Was _that_ your attempt at flirting?” Jared grinned, and rose a brow at Evan’s attempt.   
  
“Yes.” He said firmly. “Maybe I should learn from the best.”   
  
“ _Excuse you_ , I am the best. Too bad, you have to live with my lines now.”   
  
It was something Evan was willing to live with. As long as it was Jared telling the bad and cheesy lines he wouldn’t have it any other way.  
  


**Author's Note:**

> So at one point in @lost-in-the-in-between's Kleinsen fic she mentioned Jared going to hang out at Pottery Barn to ask Evan obnoxious stuff around his manager just for kicks. So I kind of combined that with the idea of Jared pining and telling Evan pick-up lines as a way to express that he likes him. Credit to her for helping me with the idea in her own way! 
> 
> Well so hey there's my fourth Kleinsen fic for this month. Maybe catch you guys next month, hope you enjoyed!


End file.
